Planned Parenthood officials say they do not yet know on how many Iowans have sought abortions out of state after Iowa’s ban on most abortions after the sixth week of a pregnancy took effect July 29th. Dr. Sarah Traxler is medical director for Planned Parenthood of North Central States, which includes Iowa.
Iowa is among four states that ban most abortions after the sixth week of a pregnancy. The Iowa law has exceptions for rape, incest, fetal abnormality or life of the mother. Holly Thomas, a patient navigator for Planned Parenthood, says she has personally helped 750 women in the past three months and the majority were from Iowa.
Planned Parenthood closed and consolidated some clinics in Iowa in the past year and has expanded its clinic in Omaha, Nebraska, where abortion is allowed up to the 12th week of a pregnancy. Nebraska voters are being presented with two competing ballot initiatives on abortion this election. Maggie DeWitte, executive director of Pulse Life Advocates of Iowa, is a spokesperson for the Iowa Coalition of Pro-Life Leaders.
DeWitte says it took six years to get the Iowa abortion restrictions enforced that Governor Reynolds initially approved in 2018.
